Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1887-01-22
THE LEGISLATURE.

THE LEGISLATURE.
Getting Down to Buslness--Import-
ant Bills Introduced.
Special Correspondence Of the 1%NrERlOcEAN.l
BISMARCK, Dak., Jan. l6.-It is evident
that the present session of the Dakota
legislature will not be as quiet and har-
monious as predicted during the gather
ing of the solons in the capital. When
the organization was effected it was evil
dent to all that North and Central Da-
kota had secured control of the council,
which is a body of lawyers and doctors.
and that the farmer members had
grasped the reins in the house.
The council combination has thus far
remained undisturbed, but the house is
today in a state of warlike turmoil from
which it will not emerge until the COM
bination Is broken. The election to the
speakership Of MI. Crosse, the large,
well-meaning German from Hyde
ty, was looked upon as an assurance Of
harmony and q perpetuation of the power
of the combination until the close Of the
session. But this sweet illusion was dis
PEELED Yesterday afternoon when the
committees were announced, and Mr..
Hobart, of Moody county. who had been
promised the Craftsmanship of the COM
second and third positions on minor and
unimportant committees. MI. Rogers,
too, who vas promised the craftsmanship
Of the committee on insurance and was
shelved upon the bric-a-brac of such
committees as education and military
affairs, is quietly preparing to "get
even" with q vengeance. The firm and
tenacious Sullivan, of Aurora county,
is also mixing his war paint for having
been ignored. Thus I might go on and
name over ten of the members from the
southern counties who are prepared to
smash the house combination into smith
Greens. No one doubts Speaker Crosses
honesty Of purpose, but his inexperience
in legislative matters led him into prom
ises the fultillment of which was imp0s-
sible, and he is now the most completely
damned and excoriated gentleman in
the halls Of the legislature.
This means much. It that the
combination of the house which would
have opposed the removal Of the United
States court from Yankton to Mitchell
house forces that were so arranged as 10
put y check upon the council colnbins-
ton which, with MIR. Lawler. Of Mitch
ell, as its leader, would favor the re,nov-
al of the court, are nov stampeding to-
ward the council organic alton, and un-
less Speaker Crosse and his friends do
some excellent harmonizimg during the
next week, the southern farmer meme
bers will lose their grip upon the house.
One fact worth mentioning, and u fact
that ELECTS words OF congratulations and
praise from a majority Of the gentlemen
in the lobby. is that the farmers are IN
the ascendency and there is an aim. st
unanimous sentiment for legislation IA
voring the producing classes as against
the corporations.
OF course Mr.. Lawler, of Mitchell, ia
on the railroad committee in the council.
and MI. Greene, u superintendent of the
Northern Pacific road, is OH the commit
tee in the house, but there il a majority
Of farmers on both committees and the
recognition of these gentlemen is not
looked upon with alarm. Mr.. Lawler il
q banker, but his father is the wellknown
official of the Chicago, Milwaukee & st.
Paul railroad. He is a creoitable mem
Der Of the upper house and seems in
clined to be fair. The farmers can ex-
cuse the appointment of Lawler, but as
they had control of the house they are
not quick to overlook the appointment
of Mr.. Greene on the committee in the
house. Judging from the organization,
however, we do not think that in this
Mr.. Crosse has committed any serious
mistake.
President Loucks, of the Farmers AL
lance, is now in the city, and in an inter-
view with him I learn that the main OBJ
jects of the farmers are briefly as follows
First, to increase the powers of the rail-
road commissioners, giving them power
to fix maximum rates of freight to be
charged on all lines and to give then,
, control over all warehouses and eleva.
tors. Second, to so frame a law that all
elevator or warehouse receipts shall be
negotiable paper and may be presented
as such in any town or city in the land
as representing the value of the grain for
which they are given. Heretofore, the
option as to whether he grain stored
should be returned or paid for has been
with the elevator companies and the
farmers believe that it should be with
them. Third, to establish a state inspec.
ton for the grading of grain under the
supervision Of the railroad commits
slOners.
President Loucks will remain in the
/ city during the session and the horny
handed vOetnen OF the legislature have
pledged him their undivided support to
, secure the legislation demanded by the
alliance.
IMPORTANT BILLS INTRODUCED.
The most exhaustive bill introduced
{ thus far is the ven bill by Council
man Hughes, which is q book in itsel
and contains over 200 sections. 1t is to
, take the place Of all existing laws OH the
subject of revenue and Is II of the most
com olete and far reaching measures
; ever introduced into q Dakota legisla.
ture.
Dr.. Collins, of Grand Forks, also has
an important bill re-creatlny the rail
road commission and extending. its
power. In this bill DR.. Collins embod'
les nearly all the points covered by the
Farmers A lance propositions. The
bill is looked upon with favor and witt
slight amendments may pass.
, Hughes and Collins have zach intro